News

Associate Research Professor of Theological Ethics and Bioethics Patrick T. Smith, is the faculty director of the program, which continues a legacy of work led by the late Dr. Richard Payne, who was the Esther Colliflower Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Divinity at Duke Divinity School. The Advance Care Planning and Healthy Living Through Faith (ACP-HLTF) program will help strengthen the capacity of the African American Advance Care Planning/Palliative Care (AA ACP/PC) Network to develop a community of… read more about Led by Dr. Patrick Smith, Duke Divinity Receives Grant Supporting Efforts to Overcome Racial Inequities in Health Care »

In this Q&A Dean Barbour discusses her motivation, past accomplishments, and here future goals as the new Dean of the Graduate School. Read the full Q&A here and watch her introductory message to the Duke community below. read more about Suzanne Barbour, The new dean of The Graduate School dean discusses her goals and plans as she takes the helm »

“I wondered what other kind of shapes or paths we might use used to understand history. So instead of just a straight line there are maybe, circles, ups and downs, even moving backwards", says Dr. Justin Leroy, the new assistant professor in the History Department. That idea has become the context for the research he does today — studying and teaching these connections between the past and the present while challenging the notion of a straight line through history. Leroy views the wealth inequalities, systemic issues and… read more about No Straight Line to Progress: Meet Historian Justin Leroy »

Until late June, the midterm election process was chugging along predictably, with voters expected to lean Republican in the course-corrective way voters do between presidential voting cycles. Pundits were forecasting a red wave in federal legislative races to blunt any momentum President Joe Biden, a Democrat elected in 2020, was enjoying. But then came the U.S. Supreme Court’s seismic ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson case that criminalized abortion in many states and turned the entire election cycle on its head. Dr.… read more about Dr. Kerry Haynie and Colleagues discuss Dobs and the Midterm elections  »

It only takes a few minutes with Nikki Lane, Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies’ newest assistant professor, to get clear why the department was eager to welcome her. Her research is provocative, she teaches a class called “Hot Girl Meg” and, as if the topic alone isn’t captivating, Lane commands an audience when she speaks. She is as comfortable citing Kimberlé Crenshaw as she is Salt-N-Pepa lyrics, effortlessly mixing her research interests in linguistics, cultural anthropology, and the role of race,… read more about Dr. Nikki Lane: Bringing Rap Into Gender Studies and the Classroom Onto Instagram »

The fellowship was launched last year by President Vincent Price with the aims to prepare promising faculty for future leadership roles by providing them with the opportunity to interact closely with and receive mentorship from the president and other senior leaders at Duke and to observe leadership in action through direct participation in leadership meetings and specific projects of interest to both the fellow and the president’s office. Dr. Stiff-Roberts, the Jeffrey N. Vinik Professor of Electrical and Computer… read more about ADRIENNE STIFF-ROBERTS NAMED PRESIDENTIAL FELLOW FOR 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR »

With the beginning of the new year, the BTT would like to highlight to Top10 most read news articles during Spring 2022 from the BTT website. This is becoming a tradition and it is only possible because of the amazing work, leadership, and contributions made by this amazing community of Black Faculty.  Here are the BTT top 10 articles: Number #10  BLACK HISTORY MONTH: SHOWCASING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SIX FACULTY AND STAFF Number #9 Sherilynn Black (SoM) Dr. Sherilynn Black (SoM)… read more about BTT Top10 Most Read News of Spring2022 »

Aaron Kyle recently joined Duke University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering as a Professor of the Practice. With vast experience in engineering education, Kyle will develop new design courses that will help students learn how to apply engineering concepts to address biomedical problems. Kyle’s work will also extend beyond Duke’s campus, where he’ll help launch engineering outreach programs to introduce underrepresented minority students to STEM concepts through biomedical engineering design projects. Lear more about… read more about Dr. Aaron Kyle: Exploring New Methods to Diversify and Strengthen Engineering Education »

As a national health emergency is declared, Duke researchers discuss testing, community responses and who is at risk. DURHAM, N.C. -- While children can contract the monkeypox virus, it is not likely to spread rapidly once schools reopen this fall, a Duke pediatrician cautioned Friday.  Because the virus spreads through prolonged, close, skin-to-skin contact, youngsters are unlikely to get it in school and daycare settings as long as parents, teachers and other providers take precautions, said Dr. Ibukun Kalu, an… read more about MEDICAL EXPERTS ADDRESS FEARS, REALITIES OF MONKEYPOX »

DURHAM, N.C. -- The rapid spread of very strict abortion bans in some states are leaving health care workers in increasingly difficult positions as they try to care for patients, three Duke Health physicians said Tuesday. States that enacted abortion bans following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent overturning of Roe v. Wade have not adequately considered the complexity and nuance required of pregnancy care, the physicians said, adding they expect maternal morbidity rates to increase.   Watch Dr. Maria Small and… read more about ABORTION BANS STRAINING HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY »

Paula D. McClain will conclude her service as dean of The Graduate School this September, wrapping up 10 years of service in that role. As she prepares to transition back to her position as a faculty member in political science, she shared some reflections on her time as dean and what lies ahead. Read the full article in the Graduate School website read more about Dean McClain reflects on leading The Graduate School »

The clinic specializes in providing comprehensive care for women of childbearing age (18 to 50 years of age) with chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune disorders. With a goal to optimize health prior to pregnancy, as well as provide long term postpartum follow-up care, the clinic will also serve women who had conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, or gestational diabetes that increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. Ceshae Harding,… read more about Harding to Open New Women’s Primary Care Clinic at the DOC »

Karim Abdelaal, a PhD student in neurobiology, has been awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study. The fellowship program aims to build a community committed to advancing science through diversity and inclusion. Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD, the K. Ranga Rama Krishnan Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is Abdelaal’s advisor.  Read more on SoM News and at HHMI news  read more about Abdelaal and Dzirasa Awarded Gilliam Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute »

The debate over gun control in America often centers around firearms production and distribution. But in recent years gun company marketing techniques have come under scrutiny, as major manufacturers seek out a new and arguably vulnerable audience.  Prof. Sarah Gaither (Psych&Neuro) spoke with Paul Solman for PBS NewsHour about the questionable marketing tactics gun companies use to target customers especially young men and boys. Watch full video at PBS website read more about Firearms industry scrutinized for how it markets to consumers »

Dr. Mark Anthony Neal (AAAS) moderates a panel with the authors Edwidge Danticat, Marc Lamont Hill, Morgan Jerkins and Peniel Joseph where they discussed the social responsibilities of Black writers. The National Black Writers Conference sponsored this event at Medgar Evers College in New York City. https://www.c-span.org/video/?522349-2/author-discussion-social-responsibility-black-writer read more about Author Discussion on the Social Responsibility of the Black Writer »

About A critical mission of the Cook Center is training the next generation of scholars in the social sciences, with a focus on economics as it undergirds and informs most of the research at the Center. This mission could not thrive without the Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics (DITE), which began in 2008 in response to the gross underrepresentation of minority economists (particularly Black, Latinx, and native American economists) in the ranks of university faculty. Through mentoring and… read more about Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics (DITE) »

Seven faculty members have been chosen to serve as Duke’s first QuadEx Faculty Fellows, responsible for fostering connections between Duke’s academic mission and undergraduate students’ social and residential lives. Among them Drs. Shani Daily (Pratt/Trinity), Lee Baker (CulAnth), and Deondra Rose (Sanford) Each QuadEx Faculty Fellow will be closely associated with (but will not reside in) one of Duke’s seven quad communities. They will work in partnership with students to… read more about MEET THE QUADEX FACULTY FELLOWS »

James E. Coleman Jr. has been named the 2022 recipient of the Raphael Lemkin Rule of Law Guardian Medal by the Bolch Judicial Institute. He will be honored during a program on Sept. 7, to be held at Duke Law School and livestreamed on Duke Law’s YouTube channel. Coleman is the John S. Bradway Professor of the Practice of Law, director of the Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility, and director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke Law. A beloved member of the Duke… read more about Professor James E. Coleman Jr. named the 2022 Lemkin Rule of Law Guardian »

Dr. Shana Lassiter has joined Duke’s Office for Faculty Advancement as assistant vice provost, tapping into a passion for faculty development she discovered throughout a career in higher education. For six years, she played a key role in Columbia University’s faculty advancement office as assistant provost. Seeking a smaller city with a slower pace, Lassiter moved to Durham and enjoyed a new focus as assistant dean for academic programs and student affairs at the Sanford School of Public Policy. But when she learned of the… read more about Shana Lassiter Appointed Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement »

The Department of Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies held the first annual Black Feminist Theory Summer Institute on August 1–5. With the theme of “Black Life & Living,” the event for graduate students will bring together a cross-institution intellectual community of scholars to immerse themselves in the field of Black feminist theory. “My hope is that the summer institute produces intellectual space for scholars from across institutions to think collectively about the freedom-making capacity of black feminist… read more about New Summer Institute Focuses on Black Feminist Theory »

The MAP program, a component of the Health Equity Academy (HEA) II that's supported and sustained by Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is designed to provide ongoing mentorship to facilitate students’ integration and completion of a health profession program.   The MAP program is designed to identify, encourage and nurture students who are from underrepresented groups in health care professions by engaging with students from various universities, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU… read more about School of Nursing Aims to Increase Diversity in Health Care Professions through Annual Program »

The Office for Research and Innovation has awarded funding to nine best-in-class projects for the inaugural Duke Science and Technology (DST) Spark Seed Grant program. This year’s winners include early- to mid-career faculty from across campus and the School of Medicine who were selected from a pool of 52 finalists for delivering innovative and creative ideas in pursuit of new directions and the enhancement of research and scholarship at Duke. “As new scientific discoveries and breakthroughs continue to surface at Duke, we… read more about Dr. Gustavo Silva (Biology) Among Winners Of The 2022 DST Spark Seed Grants »

Duke University Libraries is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Civil Rights Movement Archive (CRMA) that designates the Duke Libraries as the stewards who will preserve and sustain the CRMA when the current managers are no longer able to carry the work forward. The Civil Rights Movement Archive is accessible at www.crmvet.org and was established by the Bay Area Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement in 1999 as a web-based platform that is an active social network for movement… read more about Duke Libraries Partners with the Civil Rights Movement Archive to Sustain Activist Centered History »

Vice President for Research and Innovation Jenny Lodge has launched an internal search for a new leader to guide the Office for Research and Innovation in supporting research and scholarship in the social and behavioral sciences, humanities and the arts. The Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation will be a key member of the Office for Research and Innovation leadership team, working closely with faculty and senior leadership across the institution to design, refine, and implement services, programs and… read more about SEARCH BEGINS FOR NEW ASSOCIATE VP FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SUPPORTING SOCIAL SCIENCES, HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS »

The third Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast helps you strengthen your mentoring relationships with tools and advice from both trainees and faculty. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job! In the last episode of the season, we focus on structural interventions around mentoring. Mentorship doesn’t happen in a vacuum—what can program directors, department chairs, and other institutional leaders do to create an… read more about Dr. Sherilynn Black on NIH podcast episode: Structural interventions around mentoring  »

Suzanne Barbour, a biochemist and national leader in graduate education, has been appointed dean of The Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education, Provost Sally Kornbluth announced Monday. Barbour will also hold a faculty appointment in the Duke University School of Medicine. Barbour will be responsible for ensuring the excellence of Duke’s graduate programs, leading long-term strategic planning for graduate studies, and managing The Graduate School’s work that supports students and faculty throughout the… read more about BARBOUR APPOINTED DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL AND VICE PROVOST FOR GRADUATE EDUCATION »

Congratulation to Drs. Tyson Brown (Sociology) and Jay Pearson (Sandford) for being among the four new faculty named Bass Connections Professors! Bass Connections professorships recognize faculty whose scholarship and teaching align with the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of the program, while also recognizing the wider engagement and contributions of Duke schools to this university-wide effort. Faculty are appointed to these chairs in coordination with the leadership of their department and school. Individuals… read more about Profs. Tyson Brown and Jay Pearson Appointed to Endowed Bass Connections Professorships »

The pandemic has only amplified an already alarming mental health crisis among the nation’s young people – but there are ways for parents and communities to help, three Duke experts said Wednesday. Watch Dr. Sherika Hill (SoM), adjunct assistant professor, psychiatry and behavioral sciences speaking about adolescent mental health care,  Read More on Duke Today read more about PANDEMIC AMPLIFIED EXISTING YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS »

Computer science and its products are undoubtedly a key part of our society’s future. As a result, it is of the utmost importance that we ensure diversity in terms of those who are working in computer science, as well as its effects on society. Shani Daily is a professor of practice in Electrical and Computer Engineering & Computer Science at Duke University and was named among North Carolina’s Black STEM Leaders by Governor Roy Cooper this year. Last year, Daily and her colleague Nicki Washington were … read more about Meet Dr. Shani Daily: Creating Pathways to Diversify STEM »

Catherine Coleman Flowers, one of America’s most respected and influential environmental and social justice activists, has been appointed Practitioner-in-Residence at Duke University. Flowers, who was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2020 to support her advocacy for disenfranchised rural communities, began her three-year residency at Duke July 1. She holds shared appointments at the university’s Nicholas School of the Environment, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, and John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute. Read… read more about Duke Appoints Environmental Justice Advocate Catherine Coleman Flowers as Practitioner-in-Residence »